San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-03-03
Temperance and Prohibition.
ny A. NJ. YOUNG.

EDITOR FREE Pass tt ask the privilege
of your columns TO offer some views on
liquor. drinking aud the liquor-tnfac, My
sole desire is TO do good to others, and to
accomplish that purpose most effectualy i
find it best to speak from experience as well
rs observation, and therefore of myself.
This, I know, will bring upon me the charge
of ceotism; but no matter. l care not for
the reproach of man, and seek only the
favor of my Lord and Master.
regret much in my former example and
conversation and would counteract their in
fluonce as far as possible. My experience
aud testimony may be helpful to others.
was reared in the wealthy planting dis
tricts of Louisiana, and since manhood have
lived in the first social and business circles
of New Orleans, st. Louis and Galveston.
Among my acquaintances and associates
through life moderate drinking was the
rule. / was an occasional moderate drinker
up to 1876, when, being greatly prostatod
from ovcrwork in the Office, became reg
lar drinker at the instance of my physici N.
Had he told me, as he should have done, to
work only eight, and to sleep fully eight
hours day, and to drink only wine or ale,
or nothing at all, would have done better
physically, financially and morally. Whisky
iniured rather than benefited my health, as
/ often drank more than was necessary rs n
tonic, and sometimes, on convivial occasions
to excess. 1t really added nothing to my
social pleasure, and caused worse than
useless tax upon my earnings.
Inever acquired any appetite for liquor,
and drank 1t, sincerely believing it to be
essential and, because everybody around
me drank, rs an accessory to social enjoy
ment.
NV fnther, who was truly great and
good man. possessing an extraordinary nat,
ural and trained development and balance oi
moral, reasoning and practical powers, was
total abstainer He approved the use OF
pure wine and malt beverages, bu: was OPP
posed in toto to distilled liquors ani sa-
looms. He was Methodist local preacher
and felt it to be his duty to set an example
of the strictest temperance, on that Gccornt,
and 80 to help the weak, he abstained even
from wine. He earnestly advised me never
to 90 into n saloon, and never to touch a
drop of distilled spirits. 1 nov commend
his wise admonitions. and my declarations
from experience to all moderate drinkers.
have, since early manhood, when / first
saw the hideous slime of the liquor traffic,
favored and advocated National control of
the trade in distilled spirits within its ab
solutely necessary limits, and such National
supervision and control of malt and fer
mented beverages. ns would prevent sale
by the drink, and adulter0tion, imitation
and poisoning, This still seems to me tn
be the policy most nearly in accord with
natural principles and tho interests of So
cety. | therefore opposed local prohibitory
movements, because some of their aims and
methods seem to me to be wrong and I'M
practicable, some oppressive. ] consider
the moderate use of pure wine, ale and beer
containing, as they do when pure, very
low percentage of alcohol, to be in full ac
cord with natural laws apparent to reason,
and with the revealed will of God. They
are both foods and tonics and contain only
enough of the exhilerating qualities to
"cheer aud make glad the heart" unless
taken In inordinate quantities.
Taxnton and prohibition of the saloon
would sufficiently restrict the abuse OF these
stinuants. The use of wine il clearly
sanctioned in the Bible, which declares that
il cheers the heart of God, as well as man.
1t was among the blessings bestowed by
God upon His chosen people, to whom tic
gave IT. as He did corn, oil, milk and honey
He sanctioned its use but forbade its abuse.
Some fanatical Temperance people take
the clearly untenable position that the bev'
erage mentioned in scripture was not wine!
but the unfermented jnice of the grape, and
even 90 so far as to use water in the Sacra-
ment of the Lords supper. Because the
Jews ate grapes and drank their juice Just
az we do, we are told TO infer that they did
not drink wine, or that only the bad Jews
drank it.. Because Pharoah's butler imng-
ined in his dream that he handed the King
goblet filed with the juice pressed from
a cluster of grapes, we are to presume that
Joseph, who "drank and was merry with
hls brethren" had no wine on his table. II
the ordinary beverage of the Jews, called
wine in their scriptures, was only the harm
less non Intoxicating juice of the grape
why va 4 its excessive use forbidden? Why
was drunkenness from excessive use OF 1t Sc
frequent Why did God, after the de-
structIon of Aarons sons for drunkenness
at the altar, command him TO abstain from
wine when about TO approach the altar
Why did Solomon declare that the abuse OF
wine would "sting like tue serpent and bite
like the adder"
II Jesus and the Apostles did not use in
toxicating wine at the Memorial Supper,
ard continue its use in the churches, why
did Paul warn some of his new Gentle con-
vsrts and reprimand them because they
drank wine to intoxication at the Lords
table, and tell them to drink at home IN
moderation and take only little wine at
church, 1hare is not in the Old or New
Testament line or word against the use
of wine. We are only forbidden TO drink
to excess. Wine was prohibited TO priests
upon special occasions. and in fasts. and 10
men specially set apart by God for some
peculiar service, as ia the case Of John the
Baptist.
! Jesus told some who rejected him, that
John, His forerunner aud witness. caine
drinking no wine an5 they dill not believe
/ his prcaching. and uox they rejected Him
who came drinking wine like ordinary men
I because he vas a wiuedr.nker and friend Of
sinuers- Jesus sane ionrd the use of vine
Il the daily meal by drinking there himself,
aud a he fesial bard, b. its miraculous
creation at q Welding feast.
A line ~ argument agAiu { vine u drawn
from Arguments against polygamy and
siat ery. both of which are wrong. and 10th
Of sh.ch ,re oaly permitted by Cod TO exist
uni.r punitive civilization. Jesus forbade
uolr-lfnv. and conmanled an indiSsolnbse
usiun & one rnan with ore woman. bat
ssid nothing aFailst slavery. Ginning.
ftersfsre. that the use nf Eiue is great
..,5T sl.a urfrs t-rursar4u-s rnan plts u iu